SABC financial woes set to impact popular soapie's production

Johannesburg - Uzalo - South African Broadcasting Corporation's biggest daily soapie - with a viewership of 9.2 million - has run into financial trouble that could see it pulled off air, but the public broadcaster says it is in talks to save the popular production.

On Tuesday, SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago would not be drawn on reports that the Uzalo production would be halted.

Asked to verify reports that the public broadcaster had failed to pay the production house, Stained Glass, resulting in it failing to pay actors and producers, Kganyago said: "We had a meeting with the production house but I can not disclose to the public the outcomes".

Uzalo spokesperson Ayanda Mthiyane was not available for comment.

The SABC is in financial trouble and last paid its service providers in June, and has failed to raise funding from financing institutions. It now hopes for a R3 billion bailout from the National Treasury.